Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-06-16

Why Sufferers on the Streets of Ha-
vana Receive no Assistance.


The shrill whistle Of a policeman at
tracted the attention of the people who
were dining in the principle hotel OF
Havana the other night, and half of
them followed the clerks and porteis
out on the side walk. Directly In front
OF the hotel is little park and near
one of the small fountains was a man
writhing about and digging his fingers
into the ground In his agony. He
moaned constantly. lle was dying. AT
distance of perhaps twenty feet from
him were four policemen, with their
arms folded, smoking cigarettes and
keeping IN alert eye on all pedestrians.
Ii man approached the poor wretch
who was dying there, he was sternly
warned off. The Americans who had
been dining in the hotel started toward
the man in the park in body, but they
were pushed and led back by the hotel
employees amid considerable excitement.
"You mustn't go there" said che OF
the interrupters, earnestly.
"Why not 2" asked u burly and good
natured Newark physician. moving for
ward again. "The mans got cramps
probably from hunger-and little aid
now would save his life. don't pro-
pose to stand here and see him die"
mo. no; don't go over there. Listen
to me. know it will be very serious
for you if you--"
But the Jerseyman pushed ahead,
followed by his countrymen, while the
interrupter rushed into the hotel after
an American merchant who had lived
here for thirty years and who has a
wide knowledge of Cuban affairs. This
gentleman ran out without his hat and
called To his countryMen IN such IN au-
thoriatiye way that they returned 10
the hotel again slowly.
"Stay here" he said, shortly. "and
keep away from all such scenes rs that
while you are In Cuba. The Spanish
laws OF three hundred years ago are
still in force, which call for the arrest
of witnesses to any crime or tragedy"
"But the man is dying" protested
the Jerseyman.
81 cap see that plainly enough. He
is either dying of sickness or he has
been stabbed In the back by some enc
my. The coroner has been sent for
and he will probably be here in two
hours. Meanwhile if it is q murder
the police will haye to make some ar
rests to satisfy their superiors. God
help the men they take into custody.
Prisoners here are kept in Jail months
and months-and foul jails at that
without any preliminary examination
or commitment by magistrate, and
then they are tried without being al
lowed to be present at their trials.
Witnesses are not cross-examined and
sentence is executed before there is
chance for stay of proceedings. Look
aboGt here. You can see thousands OF
people watching that poor DEVILS DEATH
agonies from safe distances. See them
staring from house-tops and from be-
hind pillars and half-closed windows.
They are not towards, but there is not
one among them that would dare TO
risk the consequences Of going TO the
aid of that unfortunate man."
One or two other Cuban residents
joined the group, and we finally went
back to the dining-room. The groan-
ing and moaning of the man was awful.
1t all occurred in the heart of the city
of Hayana, and in situation not un-
like that of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, on
Madison Square, New York. l jump
ed into hack and drove away from the
neighborhood when / could stand the
thing no longer, and afterwards
learned that after two hours the man
died and was subsequently removed.
He had been stabbed In the side. No
effort was made to get assistance Tor
him.by the brutal police beyond send
ing for the coroner. Two men were
arrested, and they are now in Jail. Ev-
erywhere there is crime. The Spanish
run the city by military force. and they
make profound failure of it. 1t IS,
undoubtedly, the worst governed city
in the world.-Hdudna Cor. Phild-
delphia Press.